Trinidad Killa's Eskimo to be redone after copyright issues

Dancehall entertainer Kern “Trinidad Killa” Joseph will be building a new beat for his song Eskimo after illegally using the Big Links Riddim to release the song, resulting in its removal from various media platforms for copyright infringement.

Speaking to Newsday on January 15, the artiste said he would be producing the song on his own after being unsuccessful.

“The situation was blown out of proportion, but what I’m doing is build over a beat, do over a new project and put out the song, because the people want the song and are gravitating to it.”

He said he hoped the move would be received favourably by the producers after he was unsuccessful in contacting them.

“I tried to reach out to the producers when I heard the rhythm, because it was built from an old beat, but I wasn’t getting on to anybody. When I wasn’t getting on to them, I said I would jump on the rhythm, throw the tune, and once it get the leverage, the producers go reach out or I go try reach back out for we to get the business side of it...

“I put it up, because in order for them to see it, to see the leverage and the work the song is doing, I put it up. This has happened many times in music where somebody bring out a tune, put it out, distribute and the song blow up, and the producers just reached out on an aside and they did the business side of it, and they convert everything and everybody get their fair share.”

Joseph said he was disappointed with the direction the endeavour had taken as he had been hoping for a positive outcome.

“It didn’t go in that direction. It took a next direction, because of the politics taking place in the music industry.

"I put it up on the platforms, it got taken down after doing 100,000 views in two days.

"So you could see the song is a big song and for the sake of the music and the culture, if the people want the song, we could just come to terms and come to an agreement and let the song go. The tune mashing up the world, not Trinidad again.

“But I see they’re just doing that because of the person I am. I’m a very vocal person and I like to speak up about things that are wrong and things going on in the industry.

"This does happen plenty of songs in the industry. If you listen to certain songs, they have certain melodies, rhythms and samples from other songs all about in the music industry.”

He claimed the rhythm was built on a beat which he had previously had a song on.

“The rhythm was built from a sample on an old beat that I was on. I had a big song, Gunman in the Hole, and the sample come from there, and they took it and built a beat on it. So I was hoping to reach out and be on the beat, and when I couldn’t get on to them, I took it and put it out there.”

Joseph said he reached out to the producers, Full Blown Entertainment, on the booking number on their Instagram page, which Newsday also used to contact them for a comment. He said he wasn’t sure if they deliberately didn’t answer because it was a foreign number.

“No-one has reached out to me. Every time I put it up, they pull it down, so you can see it’s a pull and tug. That’s why soca music can’t reach nowhere, because the people behind the scenes who claim they are the mafia are trying to control soca.”

Joseph denied claims that the Full Blown Entertainment intro had been removed from the beginning of the rhythm.

“No tag was removed. We didn’t put it out without a tag because it’s not our property.

"Once I put out a project, I not putting out a project with no name but I put out the project with who produce the song, which is what I sing on.”

He also explained why Full Blown Entertainment weren’t listed as the producer on Spotify and other apps.

“Full Blown is the producer of the rhythm but not the producer of my vocals and the song.”

“I want to say thanks to Full Blown Entertainment and the team behind the project for drawing awareness to the fight ghetto youths does get in the music industry. That was my plan.

"I saw all this happening before it happen, because I know I, as an individual, does get a fight in the music industry since I started nine years ago.

"I have been consistently bringing hits, so you can see it's a gift I have. I know I will make it with or without them.”

Full Blown Entertainment said it would not be commenting on the matter.

The TT Copyright Organisation said it would comment on the matter but no response was received up to press time.